three men in a boat-第47章

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I　will　say　for　George　that　he　did　not　want　any　pressing。　　There　was　no　

nonsense　about　having　left　his　music　at　home；　or　anything　of　that　sort。　　

He　at　once　fished　out　his　instrument；　and　commenced　to　play　〃Two　Lovely　

Black　Eyes。〃



I　had　always　regarded　〃Two　Lovely　Black　Eyes〃　as　rather　a　commonplace　

tune　until　that　evening。　　The　rich　vein　of　sadness　that　George　extracted　

from　it　quite　surprised　me。



The　desire　that　grew　upon　Harris　and　myself；　as　the　mournful　strains　

progressed；　was　to　fall　upon　each　other's　necks　and　weep；　but　by　great　

effort　we　kept　back　the　rising　tears；　and　listened　to　the　wild　yearnful　

melody　in　silence。



When　the　chorus　came　we　even　made　a　desperate　effort　to　be　merry。　　We　re…

filled　our　glasses　and　joined　in；　Harris；　in　a　voice　trembling　with　

emotion；　leading；　and　George　and　I　following　a　few　words　behind：





〃Two　lovely　black　eyes；

Oh！　what　a　surprise！

Only　for　telling　a　man　he　was　wrong；

Two　…　〃





There　we　broke　down。　　The　unutterable　pathos　of　George's　accompaniment　to　

that　〃two〃　we　were；　in　our　then　state　of　depression；　unable　to　bear。　　

Harris　sobbed　like　a　little　child；　and　the　dog　howled　till　I　thought　his　

heart　or　his　jaw　must　surely　break。



George　wanted　to　go　on　with　another　verse。　　He　thought　that　when　he　had　

got　a　little　more　into　the　tune；　and　could　throw　more　〃abandon；〃　as　it　

were；　into　the　rendering；　it　might　not　seem　so　sad。　　The　feeling　of　the　

majority；　however；　was　opposed　to　the　experiment。



There　being　nothing　else　to　do；　we　went　to　bed　…　that　is；　we　undressed　

ourselves；　and　tossed　about　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat　for　some　three　or　

four　hours。　　After　which；　we　managed　to　get　some　fitful　slumber　until　

five　a。m。；　when　we　all　got　up　and　had　breakfast。



The　second　day　was　exactly　like　the　first。　　The　rain　continued　to　pour　

down；　and　we　sat；　wrapped　up　in　our　mackintoshes；　underneath　the　canvas；　

and　drifted　slowly　down。



One　of　us　…　I　forget　which　one　now；　but　I　rather　think　it　was　myself　…　

made　a　few　feeble　attempts　during　the　course　of　the　morning　to　work　up　

the　old　gipsy　foolishness　about　being　children　of　Nature　and　enjoying　the　

wet；　but　it　did　not　go　down　well　at　all。　　That　…





〃I　care　not　for　the　rain；　not　I！〃





was　so　painfully　evident；　as　expressing　the　sentiments　of　each　of　us；　

that　to　sing　it　seemed　unnecessary。



On　one　point　we　were　all　agreed；　and　that　was　that；　come　what　might；　we　

would　go　through　with　this　job　to　the　bitter　end。　　We　had　come　out　for　a　

fortnight's　enjoyment　on　the　river；　and　a　fortnight's　enjoyment　on　the　

river　we　meant　to　have。　　If　it　killed　us！　well；　that　would　be　a　sad　thing　

for　our　friends　and　relations；　but　it　could　not　be　helped。　　We　felt　that　

to　give　in　to　the　weather　in　a　climate　such　as　ours　would　be　a　most　

disastrous　precedent。



〃It's　only　two　days　more；〃　said　Harris；　〃and　we　are　young　and　strong。　　We　

may　get　over　it　all　right；　after　all。〃



At　about　four　o'clock　we　began　to　discuss　our　arrangements　for　the　

evening。　　We　were　a　little　past　Goring　then；　and　we　decided　to　paddle　on　

to　Pangbourne；　and　put　up　there　for　the　night。



〃Another　jolly　evening！〃　murmured　George。



We　sat　and　mused　on　the　prospect。　　We　should　be　in　at　Pangbourne　by　five。　　

We　should　finish　dinner　at；　say；　half…past　six。　　After　that　we　could　walk　

about　the　village　in　the　pouring　rain　until　bed…time；　or　we　could　sit　in　

a　dimly…lit　bar…parlour　and　read　the　almanac。



〃Why；　the　Alhambra　would　be　almost　more　lively；〃　said　Harris；　venturing　

his　head　outside　the　cover　for　a　moment　and　taking　a　survey　of　the　sky。



〃With　a　little　supper　at　the　…　*　to　follow；〃　I　added；　half　unconsciously。



*　A　capital　little　out…of…the…way　restaurant；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　…　；　

where　you　can　get　one　of　the　best…cooked　and　cheapest　little　French　

dinners　or　suppers　that　I　know　of；　with　an　excellent　bottle　of　Beaune；　

for　three…and…six；　and　which　I　am　not　going　to　be　idiot　enough　to　

advertise。



〃Yes　it's　almost　a　pity　we've　made　up　our　minds　to　stick　to　this　boat；〃　

answered　Harris；　and　then　there　was　silence　for　a　while。



〃If　we　HADN'T　made　up　our　minds　to　contract　our　certain　deaths　in　this　

bally　old　coffin；〃　observed　George；　casting　a　glance　of　intense　

malevolence　over　the　boat；　〃it　might　be　worth　while　to　mention　that　

there's　a　train　leaves　Pangbourne；　I　know；　soon　after　five；　which　would　

just　land　us　in　town　in　comfortable　time　to　get　a　chop；　and　then　go　on　to　

the　place　you　mentioned　afterwards。〃



Nobody　spoke。　　We　looked　at　one　another；　and　each　one　seemed　to　see　his　

own　mean　and　guilty　thoughts　reflected　in　the　faces　of　the　others。　　In　

silence；　we　dragged　out　and　overhauled　the　Gladstone。　　We　looked　up　the　

river　and　down　the　river；　not　a　soul　was　in　sight！



Twenty　minutes　later；　three　figures；　followed　by　a　shamed…looking　dog；　

might　have　been　seen　creeping　stealthily　from　the　boat…house　at　the　

〃Swan〃　towards　the　railway　station；　dressed　in　the　following　neither　neat　

nor　gaudy　costume：



Black　leather　shoes；　dirty；　suit　of　boating　flannels；　very　dirty；　brown　

felt　hat；　much　battered；　mackintosh；　very　wet；　umbrella。



We　had　deceived　the　boatman　at　Pangbourne。　　We　had　not　had　the　face　to　

tell　him　that　we　were　running　away　from　the　rain。　　We　had　left　the　boat；　

and　all　it　contained；　in　his　charge；　with　instructions　that　it　was　to　be　

ready　for　us　at　nine　the　next　morning。　　If；　we　said　…　IF　anything　

unforeseen　should　happen；　preventing　our　return；　we　would　write　to　him。



We　reached　Paddington　at　seven；　and　drove　direct　to　the　restaurant　I　have　

before　described；　where　we　partook　of　a　light　meal；　left　Montmorency；　

together　with　suggestions　for　a　supper　to　be　ready　at　half…past　ten；　and　

then　continued　our　way　to　Leicester　Square。



We　attracted　a　good　deal　of　attention　at　the　Alhambra。　　On　our　presenting　

ourselves　at　the　paybox　we　were　gruffly　directed　to　go　round　to　Castle　

Street；　and　were　informed　that　we　were　half…an…hour　behind　our　time。



We　convinced　the　man；　with　some　difficulty；　that　we　were　NOT　〃the　world…

renowned　contortionists　from　the　Himalaya　Mountains；〃　and　he　took　our　

money　and　let　us　pass。



Inside　we　were　a　still　greater　success。　　Our　fine　bronzed　countenances　

and　picturesque　clothes　were　followed　round　the　place　with　admiring　gaze。　　

We　were　the　cynosure　of　every　eye。



It　was　a　proud　moment　for　us　all。



We　adjourned　soon　after　the　first　ballet；　and　wended　our　way　back　to　the　

restaurant；　where　supper　was　already　awaiting　us。



I　must　confess　to　enjoying　that　supper。　　For　about　ten　days　we　seemed　to　

have　been　living；　more　or　less；　on　nothing　but　cold　meat；　cake；　and　bread　

and　jam。　　It　had　been　a　simple；　a　nutritious　diet；　but　there　had　been　

nothing　exciting　about　it；　and　the　odour　of　Burgundy；　and　the　smell　of　

French　sauces；　and　the　sight　of　clean　napkins　and　long　loaves；　knocked　as　

a　very　welcome　visitor　at　the　door　of　our　inner　man。



We　pegged　and　quaffed　away　in　silence　for　a　while；　until　the　time　came　

when；　instead　of　sitting　bolt　upright；　and　grasping　the　knife　and　fork　

firmly；　we　leant　back　in　our　chairs　and　worked　slowly　and　carelessly　…　

when　we　stretched　out　our　legs　beneath　the　table；　let　our　napkins　fall；　

unheeded；　to　the　floor；　and　found　time　to　more　critically　examine　the　

smoky　ceiling　than　we　had　hitherto　been　able　to　do　…　when　we　rested　our　

glasses　at　arm's…length　upon　the　table；　and　felt　good；　and　thoughtful；　

and　forgiving。



Then　Harris；　who　was　sitting　next　the　window；　drew　aside　the　curtain　and　

looked　out　upon　the　street。



It　glistened　darkly　in　the　wet；　the　dim　lamps　flickered　with　each　gust；　

the　rain　splashed　steadily　into　the　puddles　and　trickled　down　the　water…

spouts　into　the　running　gutters。　　A　few　soaked　wayfarers　hurried　past；　

crouching　beneath　their　dripping　umbrellas；　the　women　holding　up　their　

skirts。



〃Well；〃　said　Ha